Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1940: More than 6,000 New Mexico farms were being serviced with electricity.
“This means that nearly 15% of the farms of the state or about one farm out of seven is now receiving high-line service,” a New Mexico Extension Service spokesman said.
1941: Farmers Electric Cooperative announced plans to string 35 miles of power lines over the next year.
“All the new wire will be laid in territory immediately around this area and will be designed to fill up the gaps in the existing coverage,” said project Superintendent Oliver Kimbrough.
“And no new territory is going to be opened up, at least not now.”
1946: State highway commissioners had awarded contracts totaling more than $300,000 for five projects around New Mexico.
One of those projects included construction related to 5.9 miles of streets in Portales. That cost was almost $60,000.
1953: From the personals in the classified section of the newspaper:
“Dancing every Wednesday and Saturday night at the Midway Dance Hall midway between Clovis and Portales.”
1956: Melrose residents were preparing for a 50th anniversary celebration for their town.
Officials planned to honor old-timers, including former Gov. T.J. Mabry, who homesteaded at St. Vrain, and Rev. Thurman Harris who “came as a lad in knee pants with his parents to a homestead in the Rocklake community northwest of here,” the Clovis News-Journal reported.
Roping contests and fiddle playing contests were expected to highlight the festivities.
1961: Roads were the hot topic at the Curry County Commission meeting.
A road leading to Retirement Ranch was nearly paved and plans to pave a road from State Highway 18 to the Lawnhaven cemetery were scheduled for the “near future,” commissioners were told.
1969: Area Kiwanis Club members were preparing for the second Family Reunion Day.
The purpose of the event was to “dramatize the family as the keystone of the nation’s strength and morality,” according to a report in the Clovis News-Journal.
Kenneth Roper, president of Clovis’ Kiwanis Club, said participants were encouraged to “plan old-fashioned family get-togethers, dinners and picnics.”
While the gatherings were not formally organized, Roper said the idea was to “get the family up to date on addresses, birthdays, anniversaries, deaths, and significant events.”
1974: Bob Lydick, engineer for a north Prince Street reconstruction project in Clovis, reported traffic in the area was moving too fast for conditions.
“People are driving like crazy ... despite the work going on and the equipment along the road. Someone is going to get hurt,” he told newspaper Managing Editor Bill Southard.
1982: The Curry County Fair was planning a new event – a youth pet show.
Organizers said the show would be open to children of all ages and everyone would receive a blue ribbon.
“(T)he children can bring any kind of pet – even goldfish,” said organizer Elizabeth Teel.
Blue ribbons would also go to the pet with the biggest eyes or ears, and to pets with other distinguishing marks.
The annual county fair was scheduled Sept. 6-11.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
